


Like a Steady Fire

by Morgan_de_Andromeda



Category: Andromeda Six (Visual Novel)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:27:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24154285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morgan_de_Andromeda/pseuds/Morgan_de_Andromeda
Relationships: Damon Reznor/Traveler
Comments: 1
Kudos: 20





	Like a Steady Fire

One, two, one. One, two, one.

Morgan mentally counted as they knit. It was one of the things they liked about knitting and anything else that involved their hands; it required just enough focus and mental energy that everything else would just fade away. They barely heard the door slide open as they started another row.

“What is it this time?” they heard Damon ask. Keaton, who had been curled up next to them, jumped down with a trill and rubbed against the assassin’s legs in greeting.

“Dunno,” Morgan answered, not looking up. “Probably a scarf at this point. I’m just trying to keep my hands busy.”

“I can think of an even better use for your hands.”

Morgan rolled their eyes up with a smirk, but stopped and frowned when they saw Damon. His shoulders were slightly sagged, and the ghosts of bags were forming under his eyes. 

“You look tired.”

“You know I always have energy for you.”

Morgan narrowed their eyes, actually considering the proposition. Maybe he’d actually fall asleep afterwards. But when he saw their expression Damon just sighed and walked toward the couch where Morgan was sitting.

“Make room.”

“For wha-- oh,” Morgan was interrupted by him lying down with his head in their lap. “Comfortable?”

Keaton also joined them, jumping onto Damon’s stomach. The human grunted from the weight of the enormous tabby, sighing in relief when the cat curled into a ball with a yawn.

“Well, I hope you  _ are _ comfortable because now you’re really stuck,” Morgan observed with a raised eyebrow and a smile.

“Such a shame. Now we can only hope he grows bored before we both starve to death,” Damon muttered good-naturedly as his eyes closed.

Morgan set aside their knitting so it wouldn’t dangle over his face. They started to run their fingers through his hair, but froze when his eyes snapped open and he looked up at them with a strange expression.

“Sorry, should I not do that?”

“...Didn’t say that.”

Damon closed his eyes again, readjusting himself slightly and relaxing his body. Morgan carefully resumed stroking his head, their nails lightly grazing his scalp. Soon the assassin’s breathing slowed and his face went slack as he dozed off. Morgan had never seen him so relaxed.

_ How did this become my life? _

Morgan frowned slightly when they remembered the inciting incidents, but pushed that out of their mind as they pondered their life aboard the Andromeda Six. It was strange; despite the ship being smaller and more isolated than the palace, and the looming danger of the bounty, Morgan had never felt so… free. They could wander the halls aimlessly, and they’d receive smiles and jokes and pleasant conversation, not hushed voices and lectures. Hell, Morgan could follow a man into his room without it being shameful or scandalous.

People  _ smiled _ at them here. Bash and Aya would joke with them, June and Ryona were calming and friendly, and even Cal’s frown wasn’t quite so severe lately. And Damon… They studied his sleeping face and warmth bloomed in their chest. He seemed to like them. He definitely liked touching them. He’d seen their entire body and not only accepted it, he continued treating them as… well, Morgan. 

For the first time, Morgan felt like they could just  _ exist, _ as themself. They struggled to find the words to describe how they felt, and when they found it the intensity of the realization made their eyes burn with unshed tears.

They were happy.

Had they ever been happy before? Perhaps when they got to spend time with Nerissa, or even Vexx, but even those moments had always felt like brief flashes of light in the dark. Being on the Andromeda Six was a constant glow in comparison, like sitting near a steady fire. Morgan swallowed thickly.

_ I don’t deserve this _ .

They’d done nothing to earn their place here. There was no reason for these people to welcome Morgan into their home, no reason to treat Morgan kindly, no--

“Mrow.”

Morgan glanced over to Keaton. He was still curled comfortably on Damon’s stomach, but had lifted his head to stare at Morgan. They realized getting too upset would probably disturb Keaton, who would come to comfort them, which would definitely wake Damon. They took a steadying breath and smiled at the cat, who blinked slowly in response and laid his head back down.

Morgan sighed and closed their eyes. This was why they needed knitting, because as Damon often said, they really did think too much. They told themself it was like it had always been growing up, that there was no point in dwelling on things you can’t change. Their feelings had never mattered in the face of reality. At least this time what was real and what Morgan wanted were the same thing.

They looked back down at Damon’s sleeping face, and smiled.

If only for a little while, maybe they could allow themself to be happy.


End file.
